What's up you say?

HELLO to ALL!

I began writing this blog on Friday after work, and was too tired to finish it. My plan was to finish Saturday after work, but that didn't happen either! Sunday came, I went to church, then was invited out for the afternoon....SO, here it is Monday and off it goes to you. Thank you for your patience--I'm keeping busy that's for sure!

Exciting things are happening, God is at work, and I am beginning to feel a little more adjusted to the Oregon culture. Thank you to each one for your many prayers!


Friday:

What a blustery day today is! I thought Michigan weather changed if you waited--well central Oregon has it's corner on that market too! Here, it can be in the 20's at night and in the 80's plus during the day! Last week, for two days, I had all 4 seasons in one day! In the morning the sun was rising, the temperature was coming up nicely, then by mid morning the wind picked up, temperature dropped, it started spitting rain, and then it snowed, and hailed :-). Layers of clothes are the norm here--because when the sun goes behind the clouds it gets cold--but 10 minutes later when the sun is out, one sheds the outer jacket. Interesting!

So, what have I been up too? LOTS! I'll start with my days at the ranch, and then fill you in on the evenings and weekends since I last wrote.

My day at the ranch begins at 9:00 a.m. The mornings are designated for projects that need to be accomplished when people are not on the ranch. I have helped in the office with computer entry, worked with Sam and Jeff with ranch tasks like fixing the electrical fence, assembling or taking down temporary fencing, cleaning and organizing the tool shop, and running errands in town to get needed supplies. On Wednesday from 10:00 to 12:00 are my horse lessons!! I now know how to groom a horse, put on a saddle (well, I do need some reminders on that part still), learned some "horse language", word commands, body language, safety around horses, how to make a horse back up with my hands or a lead rope, and I practiced turning a figure 8 guiding my horse both with my feet and the reins. On Thursdays from 9:00 till when I finish, I get to DRIVE THE TRACTOR!!!! I have been promoted to drag the paddocks once a week!!! YEEEHHAAA!!!!! I am so GEEKED!! I will try to get someone soon to take a picture of me on the tractor! It's a John Deere that we attach a chain drag on the back to break up the horse manure clumps so they decompose and to make the paddocks look real spiffy! In the arena I can make circles :-) and in the main paddock I have many trees and low tree branches to duck and drive around. I've already smacked my head a few times.....but I just want you to know, not on the same tree! So, I am learning :-). It is so much fun to drive the tractor! And to round out my morning times at the ranch every other week on Thursdays (and that day I drag on Monday) from 10:00 to 12:00 I meet with a staff member and another long term volunteer gal for our mentoring session. 12:00-12:30 is lunch and from 12:30-1:00 is staff meeting where we go over the schedule for the day such as session times with children, specific tasks/chores that need to be accomplished for the day and then prayer time. 1:00 - 5:30 are session times. There are three--each last 1.5 hrs each. They also have stampede sessions which are only 45 minutes long for the younger children, so there are two during one session time.

My first couple of weeks I was working on different tasks or projects, and the past week and half I have been "shadowing" a staff member during a session time! The need is so great for more session leaders--it is unfortunate but many are turned away because there is just not enough time slots and leaders available. When I "shadow" a session time I sometimes take a more active role in talking with the child, and other times have kind of stood back because the staff member and the child have built a relationship and I didn't want to interrupt that communication/relationship. It's been fun to "shadow" different staff members--each one has their unique way of talking, communicating, sharing with the children. I can learn much from each of their styles and personalities!

From 5:30 to 6:00 is clean up time and feeding time. There are "closing cards" and each of us are assigned certain areas to take care of. Everything from sweeping to picking up the arena areas (cones or logs that have been set out for horse session times) to manure pickup (both horse and dog :-), basically what each of us do when we clean house! Make sure everything is in its place!

Hopefully that was mostly clear so you have a fairly good idea of what each day at the ranch entails. Sometimes the schedule is adhered to pretty well, and other times flexibility is the key! Some days people come to the ranch for tours that are not scheduled. Some days people have come to the ranch to volunteer their time--so I have worked with them on projects. Some days, like this past week the power company needed to trench right through the main paddock so the temporary fences had to be put up, and then taken down when they were finished. There has not been two days alike yet!


Saturday:

What takes up my evenings and weekends?

Easter weekend my hosts were out of town so some friends of theirs, and now mine, called me up and asked if I would like to go to church with them! What a pleasant surprise and blessing! Paul and Heeysun attend a church in Sunriver, OR--and I so enjoyed the service! I have been back twice with them. In the picture the back row I am standing next to Paul. In the front row in the middle is Mrs Lee and her son is on the left and her daughter is the right. Standing in front of Paul is his wife Heeysun.





The couple that I am living with introduced me to some of their friends one evening when we were invited over to their house for supper. During the dinner conversation she turned to me and asked me if I was interested in working on their ranch for pay---and very happily I said YES!! :-)!! So, I have been working some mornings and some hours both on Friday and Saturday cleaning the winter manure out of the horse paddocks, and now am starting to work on other ranch maintenance type tasks for them! WOW, way cool eh!!! I mean, I had prayed about a part time job--and here one was offered without me even looking! Praise the Lord with me!

I leave the ranch by 6:00 or 6:30, go to my hosts home and 90% of the time dinner is ready!!! I then do the dishes (since she made such a delicious meal for me to eat) and by that time it is usually 8:00ish. As you can imagine, I'm pretty whooped by then! I check my e-mails, write a few e-mails, take a shower and try to get to bed by 10:00. I would say at least once a week, and sometimes twice I have eaten dinner with my hosts at one of their friends home, I have eaten Sushi with some friends from the ranch--that will be a ONE TIME deal for sure (pictures below), had a "potluck" sort of dinner with other ranch friends another night, and just last night we all met at the house of some of the ranch ladies who live together to have a envelope stuffing party that included dinner. SO, I am not starving yet :-).





It's been fun to do several activities mentioned above with the guys and gals from the ranch at various homes. They are great people with a zest for life and a love for the ranch and it's ministry! The envelope stuffing party was the quarterly statements the ranch sends out for donations received. We folded, stuffed, licked and stamped around 700 letters! The time was passed with jokes, stories, laughter, and excellent tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches! On my way home the sky was the clearest that I've seen so far--and the stars--oh the stars I could see with my naked eye were phenomenal!!! I stopped by the side of the road so I could take in the view---but it was so freezing cold that I didn't stay out too long! Just this past week one of the ladies at the ranch said she was planning a star gazing night--I can't wait! Maybe it will be warmer by then??

I have on two occasions taken some longer motorcycle rides that have thrilled me! Just last week it was 75 degrees on Sunday afternoon so I took off towards the mountains. At one point the snow on either side of the road was higher than I was!! And, it was still warm. However, the higher I climbed (only about 1,000 feet) BBBBRRRRRR!!!! It was like teeth chattering cold!! I was very happy as I plateaued out to get back into warmer air!! The route I took, I have been told, is not even close to the beauty of the one that I can take once the road is opened after winter has passed here. So, in a few months I hope to take a long day trip through the mountains---too bad I don't have video camera on the front of my bike so you could see too! Here is a picture I took of Mt Washington.






A week ago Friday I went out to the ranch to help with the afternoon chores and Kelsie said--hey you want to ride a horse! Well, I surely couldn't that down! SO, for my very first REAL ride (the two other times earlier in my life they said didn't really constitute riding--that was more like crawling), I rode bareback!!!!!! Yup, it was just me on Hannah, feeling her bony back bone on my back bone :-). But WOW, what an experience! All I had to hold on with was my legs/thighs and my hands on her mane. Walking was cool, but when we got to the trotting part---hmm that got a little more interesting! I was laughing so hard (and the other gals there were laughing along with me too--glad I could be a source of amusement for them) that it proved difficult to stay upright! Yes, I did fall off twice--but no broken bones, just some pretty bruises on my backside :-). I got Hannah to canter for just two or three short bursts--and that was a tremendous comfort improvement---but I was kinda scared of falling off at such a speed--so I didn't do that for long! What a blast! The more I am learning about horses, the more I growing to love them! The more confident I get, the more relaxed and fun it is! Yes, it is true, a horse can "read" it's rider. They know if the rider is confident, if the rider is the "boss", and even which way the rider is looking! In fact in my last horse lesson class I purposely looked the other way while asking the horse with the reins to turn the opposite direction, and he went the way I was looking! I have MUCH to learn, but I think I am catching on pretty quickly--it sure helps to have patient, kind and humorous teachers too!

Praise the Lord with me for my adjusting to my new working/ministry environment and making new friends too!

One area that some of you have been praying about has been future living arrangements. The couple I am staying with is moving the end of May, and I needed to find a place to go. Well, that prayer has been answered in our Fathers amazing and miraculous way! AGAIN!! The people I am working for have offered me an apartment in their barn! Now, before you think I am living with the barn animals---I'm not--exactly :-). The best way to describe it would be like an studio or efficiency apartment that they have built along the side of the barn. I am so grateful the Lord prompted me to bring my coffee maker, toaster oven, popcorn popper, bedding and towels--because now I will put them all to good use! I am SO EXCITED about this new arrangement! It will save on gas and time since now when I get up I can start my "chores" at my "paying" job, then be at the ranch by 9:00. I will also feed and water their horses when they are gone for personal or business reasons. This working/living arrangement will work out for both of us great! I will be moving sometime in the next few weeks. I will now work for them in the mornings and help out with the horses in exchange for my board and utilities. If I work over and above on the weekends then I can turn in some hours for "pay". What an incredible answer to prayer! They live out in the country on a 40 acre ranch--it is so peaceful and quiet during the day--and I can see stars at night! The Father had this planned all along--a special special blessing for me! Praise the Lord with me!

Sunday:

This afternoon Judy and I went for a drive to Tumalo Falls. There was still snow that we had to walk across on the path to get to the top--but check out the view! Absolutely gorgeous!



Monday:

Today is the start of a new week! I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for this week! It was really neat last week to actually be able to recognize some parents and children! One precious little girl who two weeks ago remembered me came over to ask me a very important question. With her cowgirl boots, vest and pink baseball hat she peered into my eyes with such excitement asking: "Can we go scoop poop like we did last week?" A huge smile came to my face, and my heart flipped with her excitement and said sure. So together we went into the main paddock armed with two rakes and one wheelbarrow. As we picked up clumps together she filled me in on her week--the good and the sad. We laughed together, "high fived" when we managed to get an extra big clump in the wheelbarrow all in one scoop together, and so continues our friendship.

Last week I also had the privilege of making a new friend during a session time. This little one has come from a home that brings tears to my eyes. Halfway through the session time we were walking to the tack room and she reached up for my hand. I gave her my hand, and my heart. Later on, after we had bathed the horse (and each other!) I reached down to take her hand, and she gave me hers--and a piece of her precious heart. How I pray that her time at the ranch will be ones that she connects Jesus and His love for her with. That because the ranch is a safe place for her, she can, for a little while, laugh, play and be herself.

Again, thank you for your prayers for me, for the staff, and for each one that walks through the gates. Young and old, those with deep hurts, and those with wounds and scars--all come to the ranch to experience a healing, a release, a time to build relationships. As we have opportunity, not only do we listen, but we share with our actions and words the best unconditional love there is: the love of Jesus.

Have a spifferillo week and keep smilin' and lookin' to Jesus with me!

Pictures of the Ranch

Yesterday I took some pictures so you can now see with your eyes what I see each day as I arrive at the ranch!



Enjoy the tour!

Here is the view from the road as you go around the curve and begin to see the ranch on the left.

Turning into the driveway. What you see to the left is driveway up to the ranch. The empty space is where everyone parks. To the right is the lower barn that was full of hay for the winter, but is now getting empty.

The words at the bottom of the sign are: Rescue . Mentor . Empower.

The main driveway to the ranch where everyone walks.

The rather steep and long walk up the greeters station. :-)

However, as you walk and look to your left you can see the horses in the main corral. To the right of the driveway is the winter corral for the younger/baby horses (I will show you where they are now later). Not sure what they use it for during the summer season, but currently staff and interns park in there to keep the bottom parking area open for visitors.

Another view.

YEAH, we made it up! Here is where everyone signs a release form before they go onto the ranch property.



While you sign in you can enjoy this view from the greeters station.



Directly behind the greeters station is the tack room (same building), and the main meeting barn is what is directly in front of you. Here is where the Tuesday fellowships take place, where the DVD for the tour is shown, and leader/child time takes place among other things.

To the far right you can just barely see the gate to Sandy Pants--a smaller arena that has sand for the horses to roll in. It is also used for session times.


Again, standing at the greeters station and looking to your left you see in the distance the main arena, and to the right is the main office.


A closer view of the gate to the main arena.

The driveway between the arena and office that leads to the rear corral that has the baby/younger horses that are not used yet for sessions. Directly behind the office is the upper barn for hay storage, and adjacent to that is the tool shop.

The hill that you see in the background, is what I am told, the whole property looked like when the Meeder's purchased it. It was a cinder pit--used by the road commission to "gravel" the roads in the winter (they use no salt on their roads). To the right (that you can't see in the picture is another steep hill that levels out up top that the horses climb up and down. The Meeder's house is also to the right.

Here is the view standing from the office doorway. The farthest to the left snow capped mountain is Broken Top. The next is the South Sister, middle Sister and Northern Sister. Yes, these mountains are called the Three Sisters! :-). Incredible view isn't it?
This picture also shows some construction materials. PRAY as the permit needs to go through to add onto the office area.

Well, this took a LONG time to get all these pictures posted on here, so I have to hustle to get to work on time!

Thanks for your prayers!

Friday's writings in Bend, OR

I am currently sitting on the second floor of the public library in Bend, OR. I woke up this morning to NO electricity!! It was also snowing and overcast. YIKES, it was cold! Bend is about 25 miles east of Sisters, and the further I drove the sunnier it became :-). After a tour of Bend (a nice way of saying I kinda got lost, but not too lost) I ended up at this library. I hung out here for a bit, then went and walked the city. Now that my 2.5 hour walk is finished, I am ready to rest inside for a bit.
So, you ask, how was my first two days on the ranch? Spifferillo :-). The first day I was called a volunteer, then yesterday I got "upgraded" to be an intern :-). How do ya like that?! I have been hanging around the Greeter for the most part. They meet and greet each person that walks up the hill to the entrance of the ranch. Each person must sign a legal document before entering the ranch, and while they do that we chat and help them feel welcome and special. They then are paired up with their sessions leader. There are 3 sessions each day that last 1.5 hours each. There may be 3-4 children at each one of the session times. It is an individual one-on-one time with a leader, child and horse. First they participate in a chore. That may be anything from weeding, planting flowers (neither of those yet) or picking up sticks, manure, horse hair, writing thank you notes, etc. Then they pick out a horse and groom them. After that they go to one of the corrals and have a "riding lesson". The emphasis of the whole time is not a riding lesson, but a one on one time with a leader who listens, talks, and shares smiles, hope, love, and/or whatever the Lord leads.
Yesterday was way cool because I had the privilege of seeing one of the people that Kim wrote about in her book! She was one of the young ladies who had not spoken any words because of her handicap, but after spending time with the horses has begun expressing verbally and also with facial expressions! As I listened to the staff member tell a tour group the story behind the young lady it moved my heart with prayer and praise for the wonderful staff that was working with her as well as for the love of Jesus that was so evidently portrayed in the young ladies life as well.
I have met and personally greeted a few of the horses. Tomahawk, Phoenix, Teva, Hero and another horse that starts with "E" and I can't remember her name!. In fact, on Thursday I was able (with the help of Sarah) to lead this beautiful horse from one corral to another :-). Way cool!! I think the staff is a little amused by my lack of horse knowledge--but for sure they are all so friendly and helpful! The environment here is definitely informal--and that is so different than the corporate world I am used to. It will take some getting used too--but I am looking forward to "figuring out how" :-).
My official training begins either next week, or the following week--depending on scheduling. I will be "assigned" a mentor and will be working with her each day to learn from her about horses and how to work with the children during a session time.
Never having been around horses so close before I am in wonder and awed. What stunning and exquisite creatures! At first they all looked the same, but after just two days I am able to see different markings, facial features, body shapes and sizes, and eye coloring. I think their eye lashes are cute :-).
So far I have hung out with some of the parents, played with children, picked up dog manure (one of the chores :-) ), picked up branches (a man came and pruned their trees), moved pallets from inside the barn to outside (YEAH some physical labor!!!), taken tours with a staff member, and have begun the learning process of how the ranch functions.
How am I doing physically, emotionally, spiritually? Physically--super. Judy is a wonderful cook--everything I have eaten I have liked! Emotionally--I have my ups and downs. I am so grateful for the phone I got before I left--my Mom and I have had some good talkings! I still haven't adjusted to the 3 hour time change, so I am going to bed very late (like 11:00 - 1:00 a.m.) and getting up anywhere from 5:00 - 6:30 a.m. Each day I can stay up a bit later and sleep in a bit later....so that is good! Tears seem to be at the surface most of the time--not because I wish I was somewhere else, but because of all the changes and adjustments. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is different! Living with people instead of living alone, living in the city instead of the country, not having my "house", the temperature extremes, the art of getting "lost" just about every time I go out, not knowing where to purchase items....I am sure you get the idea. None of these are bad--it's just all so new. Frankly, I don't even know where Highway 20 is that I need to get on to get back to Sisters! I am getting real good at asking people--saves the "tours" :-). Sometimes all of this adds up to a time of tears. Spiritually--I am spending much time in prayer and in the Scripture. Since there are no humans close enough to reach out too in a physical way, I am reaching out to my Heavenly Father. I must, or I will either implode or explode. Yes, I have great hosts, yes I can call my family/friends on the phone...but it is NOT the same as reaching out and REALLY touching someone! Just today after I "got lost" and couldn't even find a coffee shop or a restaurant to eat breakfast/lunch I cried (literally and then verbally) out to Him for help and comfort. I think I circled Bend 2 times--and then a very nice lady at Barnes and Noble gave me directions to this library. It was the Lord's provision for me! I am sure she was a little confused with my tears as I asked for directions--but she instead of just verbally telling me how to get here she was so kind and wrote them out--turn by turn! The Lord has had just such people at the just the right places to help me get "unlost" or even to give friendly smiles as I walk down the street. I have been working on memorizing Psalm 121. Vs 5 says "The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield]." Isn't that way cool?! Vs 7-8 says: "The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore". I am holding on to these promises.
Something else that brings great comfort is knowing of all the prayer support from my family, my church family, and many others. I KNOW and sense these--because I can see how my way has been guided, protected, and little joys experienced along the way. I thank each one of you for time spent in prayer for me!
Once I get into the full swing of ranch work and getting settled into a church and begin making new friends I believe my "ups and downs" will smooth out. Like I told my Mom today--in a way it seems like I have been here awhile--but in reality it has been less than a week! Yes, I must be patient with myself too :-).
The mountains, buttes, and landscape is pure bliss and delight for my eyes and heart. The "monster" trucks and four wheel drives are cool too!! I have seen quite a few "classic" cars, and a few motorcycles (brrr) as well.
Well, if you have successfully followed today's blog then you are doing great! Hopefully I have given you a good picture of my life and what is happening so far.
Keep smilin' and lookin' to Jesus with me today! Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! Jesus is the same in Michigan and in Oregon! What a sure and solid foundation we have. Rejoice with me as each of us listens, obeys and enjoys the adventure He has us on wherever we are!

P.S. Did you know it is illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon? OOPS!! :-) Learned that one the "hard way". Did you know that it is the law that traffic MUST stop for anyone wanting to cross the road at any time or place?

This is it!!

The day I have been waiting and praying about has finally arrived! Can you believe it? The road to get here has had it's share of ups and bumps, ahh, but sweet is the day, April 1!

The last two days I have been settling in nicely. My hosts names are Jerry and Judy Price. They have been so gracious in opening up their home to me! When I was just a youngster our family lived close to Aunt Judy and Uncle Jerry for a while. I remember playing with their oldest daughter. Yes, in our Father's unique, incredible and amazing ways they are my Dad's cousins who live a mere 13 miles from the ranch! I thought they were still living in Wisconsin, so when I said "yes" to the ranch's invitation I had no clue where I would live---but He did! Another one of the many confirmations of His leading and guiding me to Oregon to begin serving at CPYR.

Jerry is a professional counselor, consultant and author. His career path has also included the pastorate, education and coaching. He and his wife Judy work together with marriage counseling, and much much more. If you want to visit their website it is: http://www.moremarried.com/ I am so blessed to be living here! Rejoice with me!

Judy is a great hostess and tour guide! Sisters is a town, well, kinda like Grand Haven but bigger. Lots of neat touristy type stores, but also the essentials like the hardware, grocery, second hand store and coffee shop! She has taken me to the Ranger station to get info on the trails and mountains, and to the Chamber of Commerce to get info on the area in and around Sisters. It has a nice small town feeling--so a country girl like me doesn't feel too out of place :-). She also is a great cook! YEAH!!

I am still getting used to the time change. As I write this, it is 6:44 a.m.--and in Michigan it is 9:44 a.m. My crazy body clock won't let me sleep in much, but I am feeling more rested each day. My schedule for the day is to be at the ranch at 12:30 to be a part of their staff meeting, and then the ranch officially opens up for 2009 at 1:00! I'll let you know later who, what , why and how took place!

"Trust in Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 Together, lets trust Him today!

Keep smilin' and lookin' to Jesus with me!